Ion signaling in eukaryotic cells is essential for numerous physiological processes, including regulation of exocytosis, contraction, gene transcription and fertilization, as well as maintenance of cell membrane potential. Ion signaling is equally important in prokaryotic cells, e.g. in osmoregulation. Ion signaling in cells may be affected by alteration of extracellular and intracellular concentration of ions. Such alterations result in intracellular concentration changes in the forms of i) rapid increase followed by a rapid decrease (termed spikes), ii) a sustained, elevated concentration, or iii) repetitive spikes that produce an oscillation of characteristic frequency and amplitude. Due to technical limitations of available methods to decipher these complex signaling pathways, very little is known about the molecular and physiological effects on cells. A limitation of certain concern is the inability of available methods to provide controlled ion fluxes to cells to be studied.
EP 1 862 799 discloses a devices for electrically controlled transport of ions between a source electrolyte and a target electrolyte, which device is capable of transporting ions of one or several ionic species from one or several source electrolytes to one or several target electrolytes, in which device the ion transport can be electrically controlled, and in which ions from one or several source electrolytes may be delivered to one or several target electrolytes in a space and time resolved manner. This device also provides for matrix addressing for delivery of ions.